The streets of Carmel’s award-winning Arts & Design District will be filled with fine art, live music, food, drink and activities for all ages when the 22nd annual Carmel International Arts Festival takes over Main Street and Range Line Road, lining the streets with the finest globally inspired and juried artist booths for one of the biggest weekend events in the City.
The Festival runs Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 28 and 29, and is free to visitors who can meet the artists, browse or purchase unique items not found anywhere else and choose from a number of hands-on, interactive events designed to inspire. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. There is plenty of parking in Carmel, which has several parking garages within walking distance of the Arts & Design District. Parking is free.
“We are excited for this year’s event as our mission is to educate the community in the arts through fine art by American and international artists with an increasing focus on the international aspect in recognition of the growing diversity of our community,” said Executive Director Dawn Fraley. “The festival exhibits the works of approximately 150 artists and features international food, international entertainment, and showcases the art and culture of our international sister cities. In addition, the festival awards $12,500 in scholarships to art students from Carmel High School and University High School each year.”
On Saturday night the Arts & Design District rock out to the music of “The Bishops.” ART ROCKS!, the largest street party in the Art & Design District, is back from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. ART ROCKS! is a free, family-friendly, community event that you will not want to miss. Come and pick up some food from one of the great restaurants on Main Street or make a selection from one of the many food and beverage trucks at the Festival.
Click here for a sneak peek on the Artists coming to Carmel this year.
This year’s features
- High School Student Art Exhibit: Carmel High School and University High School Student Art Show takes place at the Indiana Artisan Gallery located at 22 N. Range Line Road.
- Children’s Area: Patron’s between ages 2 and 12 can work on an age-appropriate art project at the Young@Art tent. Teachers from the Primrose Schools will work with the children to guide and encourage them as they work on their projects. The young artists will be able to take their creation home with them. Stop by the Young@Art tent on “ARTivity Avenue” on Main Street just west of the Monon Trail.
- Paint by Numbers: Carmel High School Art students have prepared four large “Paint by Numbers” canvases where our Patrons young and old can leave their marks. Stop by their tent at Veterans’ Way (across from Muldoon’s restaurant) and see how these pairings come to life over the weekend.
- Inside the Indiana Design Center: Walking off the elevator in the Atrium on the second level of the Indiana Design Center, Microsoft will offer digital art classes and virtual reality experience. On the lower level of the Indiana Design Center, Guerin Catholic High School will be actively painting an 8’-by-22’ mural.
- Minecraft: Go behind the scenes to learn how to code, program, and play in your own gaming world. You’ll use fun, interactive coding to learn how creativity and problem solving come together to make something all your own. The workshop designed for ages 8 and older.
- Create Digital Art with Fresh Paint: In this free hands-on camp, students ages 8 to 12 will learn to create and share their own digital art with the Fresh Paint app for Windows 10. They’ll explore the basics of Fresh Paint, using lifelike oil and watercolors, pastels, and more to craft their own creations. They’ll also get a sneak peek of advanced digital art skills like mixing paint and layering media. Activities will focus on learning through experience and peer-to-peer learning, and themes may be based on upcoming seasons and special events.
- Get Creative with 3D in Windows: The world we live in is multi-dimensional, so shouldn’t art be as well? Students of all ages will bring their imagination to life by learning new Paint 3D and Mixed Reality Viewer in Windows 10. This workshop offers a high-energy, collaborative environment for participants to fuel their creativity and learn key tools and features of the 3D app.
- Create New Perspectives in Virtual Reality: Start from scratch in Paint 3D or pull from the Remix 3D catalog to see 3D objects in your real world. Find a new angle for the stories you share. This activity is first come first served. No reservations are being taken. Patrons 18 years of age or older can participate in the experience. Patrons ages 13 to 17 can participate with parental or guardian consent.
Volunteer at the Festival
If you want to sign up to be a volunteer for a minimum two-hour shift during the weekend of the Festival, your help is appreciated. Volunteers are the backbone of the Carmel International Arts Festival, and the difference between an excellent volunteer program and a great one is that the volunteers have a wonderful time while they are working for the event.
It takes a “village” to produce the Carmel International Arts Festival each year. By volunteering, you are helping the Festival carry out its mission to educate, expose, and provide access to the community all forms of art while generating a heightened appreciation of the arts. Click here to volunteer.
For more information, visit CarmelArtsFestival.org. You can also follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.